News

Wild News

Wild names alternate captains

by
Staff Writer
/ Minnesota Wild

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Minnesota Wild President and General Manager Doug Risebrough and Head Coach Jacques Lemaire announced today that left wing Andrew Brunette and center Mikko Koivu will serve as permanent alternate captains throughout the 2008-09 NHL season. The team will name its October captain Friday.

Brunette, 35 (8/24/73), begins his second stint with the Wild after signing with the team as a free agent July 1, 2008. He has played 453 consecutive regular season games - the longest active streak in the NHL - and scored the game-winning goal against Colorado in overtime of Game 7 of the 2003 Western Conference Quarterfinals. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound native of Sudbury, Ont., was Washington’s seventh-round pick (No. 174 overall) in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. Brunette played the last three seasons with the Colorado Avalanche.

Koivu, 25 (3/12/83), led Wild forwards in time on ice (20:54) in 2007-08, when he notched 42 points (11-31=42) in 57 games. He ranked second on the team with a plus-13 rating. The 6-foot-2, 216-pound native of Turku, Finland, was Minnesota’s first-round pick (No. 6 overall) in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Minnesota will continue to rotate its team captaincy on a monthly basis this season based on the player who has shown the greatest leadership qualities.